Track leveling device for farm tractors



May 30, 1939. A. suTHRLAND 2,160,524A

TRACK LEVELING DEVICE FOR FARM TRAGTORS Filed uw.- s, 193'? back end of the member 28y being provided with rearwardly extending portions 30, the inner surface of each portion 38 being provided with a conical lug Il `adapted to be pivotally supported in the recess 25, the opposite sides of the inner end oi the lugs 8| being ilattened at 32 and adapted to enter the .notches 21 when the member 28 is supported perpendicular to the plane ing wheels I8.

of the body 28, thus allowing the conical lugs 8| 'to enter the recess 25. The arm 28 may then be swung to a horizontal position, at which time the lugs 8l will be locked in the said recess; The lugs 8| are provided with openings 88 which are in alinement with the opening 25 when the device is bled. A small bolt 34 is then inserted through the openings 23 and 25 to strengthen the members 30 and to prevent accidental disconnection of the members 2li and 28 when the arm 28 is in itselevated and folded position. By this construction the member 2li and the arm 28 may be formed of cast metal, and a comparatively rigid pivot member will thus be--frmed with a comparatively small amount of work. 'I'he body 20 is also provided with upwardly extending lugs v35 adapted to assist in anchoring the body 20 against movement 'when the same is secured to the steering axle.

When the member 20 is secured to the head I4 the front lug I1 is inserted between the lugs 25 and one of the bolts I8 passes through the opening 28, while the other bolt i8 is passed through the opening 22,-thus providing means for rigidly securing the bracket to the steering axle, the lugs 85 resting against the outer edges of the front lug l'l. In that type of' tractor axle illustrated in Figure '1 the axle is provided with a vertically arranged bolt 36, which is passed through the slot 2| of the member 20, thus providing means for rigidly holding the bracket to that particular type of axle.

In Figure 8 an auxiliary angle iron 81 is provided which is bolted to the back side of the steering post 38 to which the member 28 is secured by means of a bolt 39 projecting through the opening 22 and the said bracket 81, as clearly illustrated.

The forward end of the arm 28 is provided with a cross arm 4l for supporting the spring shanks 4l, each end of the arm 40 being provided with a slot 42 for receiving a bolt 48 by means of which the said shank may be secured in position. the upper end of the shank terminating in a convolute portion 44 having its inner surface resting against the corners of the arm 48, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. Each of the portions 44 is also provided with a slot 45 through which the said bolt 43 extends. This slot 45 provides means whereby the shank may be rotated slightly about the longitudinal axis of the arm 48, while the slots 42 provide means whereby the shanks may be adjusted toward and from each other. 'Ihe'lower end of each of the shanks is provided with a cutting or leveling tool 45, preferably in the shape of a blunt cultivator shovel.

The shanks 4l are adjusted so that the cutters 48 travel immediately ahead of the correspond- The forward end of the arm 28 is held against downward movement bymeans of a flexible chain 41, having one end connected to said arm and the other -end wrapped around the steering support Il, said chain being adjustably connected thereto so that the forward end of the arm 28 will be supported in fixed relation with the frame Il so that the earths sur-.l face as leveled by the cutters will be parallel with the said frame member I8. The chain provides means whereby the forward end of the member 28 may be easily elevated to a substantially vertical position, which is accomplished by means of a cable 48, having one end connected to an eye-bolt 48 and the other end paged over a pulley 58 carried by a bracket 5I. detachably mounted on the member Il, the cable 48 being carried to the rear end of the tractor and connected to any desired point.

In order to prevent the cutters 46 from gouging and cutting too deep at such times as when the front end of the tractor is entering a ditch or ravine, I have provided a. shoe 52 which is adapted to travel between the cutters 46 and has at its forward end a curved portion 53 terminating in a vertical portion 54, said vertical portion 54 being adjustably mounted on a vertically arranged lug 55 carried by the arm 28, said'lug 55 having flanges 56 for guiding the memberA 54', the said member being secured in position by means of a bolt 51 adapted to enter into one of the openings 58. 'I'hus means is provided whereby the shoe may also be adjusted4 relative to the member 28 and to prevent gouging at such times as the tractor is entering ravines-or ditches. l

Thus it will'be seen I have provided a device of simple, durable and inexpensive construction which may be easily and quickly attached to tractors of various types without altering the steeringaxle, and when so attached I have provided means whereby the earths surface ahead of the tractor wheels will be leveled so as to permit the said tractor wheels to travel on comparatively even surfaces and the undesirable bouncing effect eliminated.

I claim as my invention:

l. The combination of a tractor frame, a steering axle including steering wheels therefor, a bracket detachably secured to the center of said axle, anarm having one end pivotally connected to said bracket and its free end extending forwardly thereof to swing upwardly and downwardly, means carried by said tractor frame for limiting the downward movement of the free end of said arm, a cross arm carried by said arm, a convolute spring shank secured to each end of said cross arm, and an earth leveling tool on the lower end of each shank, each tool being supported in front of its corresponding steering wheels.

2. In a device of the class described, a bracket comprising a at body portion provided with a head portion at one end, having its ends provided With conical recesses and transverse notches connected with said recesses, an arm having a yoke formed on one end, the inner edges of the legs of said yoke being each provided with a conical pivot member adapted to fit and operate in a corresponding recess and having their opposite sides flattened near their apex ends to enter the notches of said recesses as the head is assembled, a bolt extending through saidA head and said conical pivots, and an earth leveling tool supported from the free end of said arm.

3. The combination of a tractor frame, a steering axle including a bracket secured to said axle, comprising a fiat body portion provided -with a head portion at one end having its ends provided with conical recesses and transverse notches connected with said recesses, an arm having a yoke formed on one end, the inner edges of the legs of said yoke being each provided with a conical pivot member adapted to nt andoperate in a corresponding recess andhaving their opposite sides attened near their apex ends to enter the notches of said recees as the head is assembled, a bolt extending through said head and said conical pivots, an earth leveling tool supported from the free end oi said arm, and means supported from said tractor frame for limiting the downward movement of the free end of said leveling tool.

4. 'Ihe combination of a tractor frame, a steering axle including steering wheels therefor, a. bracket detachably securedto the center of said axle, an arm having one end pivotally connected to said bracket and its` free end extending forwardly thereof to swing upwardly and downwardly, means carried by said tractor frame for limiting the downward movement of the free end of said arm, a cross arm carried by said arm, means adjustably securing the shank to said cross arm, a convolute spring shank secured to l0 each end of said cross arm, and an earth leveling tool on the lower end of each shank, each tool being supported in front of its corresponding steering wheels.

' 5. The combination of a tractor frame, a steering axle including steering wheels therefor, a bracket detachably secured to the center of said axle, an arm having one end pivotally connected to said. bracket and itsfree end extending forwardly thereof to swingY upwardly and downwardly, means carried by said tractor frame for limiting the downward movement of the free end of said arm, a cross arm carried by saidvarm, means adjustably seclu'ing the shank to said cross arm, a convolute spring shank secured to each end of said cross arm, an earth leveling tool on the lower end of eachvshank, each tool being supported in front of its corresponding steering` wheels, and a shoe supported between said shanks to gage the depth of said leveling tools. 

